Chevelle, ‘The North Corridor’ – Album Review

Turn ... this ... up! There's really no three better words to describe what you should do with the new Chevelle album The North Corridor. The disc is arguably the heaviest album the band has put out in their career, and with Joe Barresi behind the boards producing, it's no surprise the band's hot streak continues.

The album kicks off full force and doesn't really take the pedal off the metal until very late in the album. Getting the ball rolling is the opener, "Door to Door Cannibals," a headphone listen for sure if for no other reason than the initial one-channel guitar line that eventually powers into both sides of your speakers. The track is a grungy, uneasy rocker with Pete Loeffler's somewhat muffled vocals leading the way and it's worth it to stick to the end, where the guitar play takes the song out on a high note.

The driving rocker "Enemies" and the single "Joyride (Omen)" keep the heavy going, with "Joyride" laying down more of an industrial feel with Pete Loeffler unleashing a primal scream within the track. One of the more intriguing cuts on the album is "Rivers," which begins with an almost flamenco guitar style opening and taps drumming before the low end and heavy chorus take over. It's a unique sound in the Chevelle universe, one that stands out on a disc of aggressive music.

Other heavy rockers that power the disc include "Last Days," "Warhol's Showbiz" and the epic "Shot From a Cannon," three tracks that all have a killer low end from bassist Dean Bernardini. And drummer Sam Loeffler also gets his chance to shine, with the bouncy rocker "Got Burned" delivering an infectious beat and an awesomely percussive opening on the album closer "A Miracle."

With so much heaviness, a late album track like "Punchline" comes along at a perfect time. The dark and ominous rocker may not have the aggression and energy of some of the other tracks on the album, but the haunting vocals and the overriding feeling of the world coming to an end gives this song one of the harshest bites of all.

So if grungy, sludgy, riff-heavy rock is your thing, then put in Chevelle's The North Corridor, turn your player up and make sure that all the fragile items in your vicinity are anchored down.